The car magazines have been slamming the new Toyota/Lexus models, e.g., GS, IS, Camry for not being able to turn off all of the electronic safety controls (traction control, etc.) stating that you really can't run the car out and enjoy by putting it through it's paces. Is it really as bad as they make it sound? They say if you jump on it and the tires even show a hint of wanting to squeal, everything shuts down for about .5 seconds which kills any chance of having a little fun. I know in my '99 ES300, the traction control swich is way under the dash so I suspect that most people don't even know it's there, BUT, you can turn it off if you want to. I'm very surprised that the Lexus models don't let you turn it off, especially since they are taking aim at BMW with the IS and GS models. Is Toyota/Lexus listening to this criticism or do they have a certain safety related mind set concerning this issue and their mind is made up?
offered me a 2007 LE, 4 cy, alloys and mats for $20,500 'offering' and actually getting are two different things - GST effectively controls all Toyotas supplied in that area and can make it difficult for any dealer that is selling the car significantly under market. Avalon orders were taken all over the place at some relatively well discounted prices - somehow the cars never actually showed up as 'ordered'. Invoice is, of course, a highly imaginery number especially with those distributor 'port' pkgs. but if the Camry is generally selling at something close to sticker (as you would think it would for awhile) than you better believe that the dealers know precisely what they can get for it. Unless, of course, it's a lease in which case 'sell' prices mean much much less.
it is possible that these same 'safety' systems than can certainly stop you from getting too far out of shape may also inhibit the car's ultimate avoidance capabilities or prevent the car from moving at all on snow/ice, thereby creating a safety hazard. Interesting legal issue and that inability to shut the silly things off is not unique to Toyotas.
Fitzmall has changed its 2007 Camry prices. They now show their internet pricing at primarily $1,000 above invoice, a significant increase from past weeks.
The new Camry has a modification to the traction control that does allow slow speed maneuvering in snow and ice.
And a quick search on the internet will find a special sequence of steps if done within 30sec of starting the car that will disable VSC on the Lexus. Don't know if it works on the Camry or not.
Okay well thanks, I just find the cars that fit about 5 people more experience. But I'm going to go probaly test drive or look at the camrys and maybe others. Thanks and God Bless
Seems like we're in the same boat - and state. Which end of the state are you in? I'm in South Jersey and I haven't seen an SE yet! Not sure the TL is worth the price difference any more. Although now I'm reading reports about the 17" wheels on the SE contributing to higher road noise levels than what is experienced on the LE and XLE models. Looks like I'll have to drive both.
Where in so. cal? Longo has a few, check out their inventory on their website. They didn't name it aloe green though, they listed it as turquoise. I ordered an XLE V6 in aloe green last week. I didn't get an exact date on when it's coming yet.
I haven't driven the XLE, but the noise level in my SE is plenty quiet. I truly felt it wasn't worth te extra $$$ for the TL unless you need the cache of the Acura badge.
Can any Camry owners tell me if the steering wheel controls for ac/radio,etc light up at night? I was at a dealer yesterday and no one was able to answer my question. One salesman said only certain models do and the sales manager said none of them do. Thanks
I'm glad to hear (no pun intended) that the road noise doesn't seem intrusive to you. They say that the lower profile tires on the SE causes the higher road noise. Curiously - did the TL seats feel as comfortable as the SE? I've only sat in a TL, and the seat felt borderline HARD. My current TL ('01) is very comfortable.
I've been doing some internet shopping, and right now the price difference between the TL (non Nav.) and an SE (non Nav.) is 4K. Like I said, I don't think the TL is worth the difference. But, driving them will tell the story. Your car looks beautiful in the pics you've posted. Congrats.
Thank you, you would think the dealer would know this. Do you have nav, because, silly as it sounds, someone told me you have to have the nav package to have illuminated wheel controls I wonder if the LE has illuminated also.
I want to share my thoughts and experience with my my 07 XLE V6 I got a few days ago. I love it. I realize looks are subjective, but I think in real life the car is incredibly good looking no matter the price range. I like many cars, but this one is awesome. Everywhere I go people are coming up to the car to check it out and ask about it. The performance is great, comfort, ergonomics, etc. I did drive the TL as I think it is great too, but it is NOT worth the price difference, and there is more HP in the Camry too and same or quicker acceleration. I did own an 04 TSX and loved it too, but the Camry is bigger and much more powerful. As far as comparing to Avalons, that is hard because they are different types of car. The Avalon is a little bigger, but definitely looks like an "older" person's car (I'm 35), and for backseat room, the Camry is close, about 2 inches less legroom, but still big at an improved 38" over the 06 at about 36". The Bluetooth feature is so convenient with my V3 Razor, and the SmartKey system really spoils you, but I still reach for the ignition key slot, which does not exist! And the replacement Smartkey fob is $339 to replace per the parts dept. , not $800 like the USA Today article listed the other day. Can't say much about the price because I traded in a car and they show the numbers how they want, but I still am financing exactly what I wanted. I told the dealer what I wanted (no extra add-ons for pinstripes, protection, etc) and he did a search and found one in Arkansas(I'm in OKC) with only floor mats added and I got it 3 days later. The dealer had about 6 Camry's on Sat. and that is where all the showing and test driving was. They will sell like crazy and said they are finally seeing younger people looking at Camrys. I also drove the SE V6, and like the luxury look better on the exterior and interior of the XLE, but still liked the SE. I have an 05 Odyssey and love Honda quality and driving characteristics, but the new Accord design is just not that attractive to me. Hope this helps anyone considering the car.
Thank you for the great review! I am excited about buying one and i won't be able to til summer 07 when i get back from being stationed in Germany. I lived in OKC for 7 years and loved it there. I wouldn't mind going back there. Have a great day. Bob
Is it true, or how can I find out. A local dealer said that EVERY SE V6 Will have the VS (traction control/electronic nanny)option on it. If EVERY SE V6 has VS on it, then it doesn't seem to be an "option". :mad:
Option combinations for a particular region are determined by the regional sales folks. It may be that in your region, they decided VSC would be ordered on all V6 cars. I was at my Toyota dealer yesterday and while they didn't have any V6 Camrys, every Avalon had it. It's on my '05 SE-V6 which is the reason I bought it over the Accord.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. VSC is much more likely to save your [non-permissible content removed] than it is to spoil your driving fun. Some of the car mags may say it's intrusive on sporty driving but some also say it's the biggest safety advance in the last 50 years.
Thanks for your thoughts. I understand the safety reasoning behind the VSC. But why is it not defeatable the way it is on Hondas and Acuras? In bad driving conditions, I know it is a good thing to have, as I have it on my current car. But would it have been too much for the engineers at Toyota to include an on/off switch? I mean really..... :confuse:
I dont think it would be too much for them to have that On-Off switch there. But they also know you will be tempted to play with that switch too often.
They know the little kid lurking inside you ready to test the limits of that tiny VSC switch.
I think the thing that annoys me most is - They call this thing an "option", and then they FORCE you to take it, and pay for it. Then to add insult to the injury, you can't turn it off if you want to.
Like I said, we have a Honda and an Acura in the garage right now. They both have "TCS" and you can turn it off, on Both vehicles if you want to. It's nice to have a choice in the matter.
I know and sympathize with you on your pro-choice stance but times are changing and with Judge Roberts at helm we do not know how long the future of pro-choice is
As I mentioned above they made a modification to the system to allow some 'slippage' in the Traction Control system in slow adverse conditions. In this way you don't just go dead on the spot.
It's not VSC that you want to cancel it's Traction Control. VSC only kicks in when the yaw sensors determine that you are not going in the direction you intended. It minimizes the extremes of understeer or oversteer and usually will kick in at higher speeds. If you are standing still on icy pavement VSC does nothing.
What the professional testers dont like is that at highspeeds where they know how to keep a car under control VSC throttles them down and applies the brakes. This has little to do with the Traction Control system although both are linked through the ABS.
The vast majority of amateur drivers do not know how to avoid problems and likely will do just the opposite of what they should.
what i find annoying is that i have yet to see the highest volume model (LE 4c) with traction control on any lot in my region (pac NW). not sure they are even making them without special ordering.
TCS/VSC is likely to reduce your insurance rates. Also, the IS 250/350 does not have an on/off switch for this feature either, but it's still possible to turn it off. It's just not as convenient as having a button. In the IS you're supposed to tap on the brake pedal a certain number of times under certain conditions (I'm not sure exactly what the routine is). In any case, I'm sure the Camry has some way of disengaging this feature as well. Someone will find it and post it at some point.
That being said, unless people are taking their Camrys on a race track or to an autocross competition, I'm not sure what benefit anyone would get from turning TCS/VSC off.
Again, thats dependent on region. In both Milwaukee and Philadelphia, I've seen LEs with the VSC option, though I haven't seen one in Central NJ. They're building them, they just arent being shipped where you are...
"I know and sympathize with you on your pro-choice stance but times are changing and with Judge Roberts at helm we do not know how long the future of pro-choice is"
Does this kind of nonsense really belong in this forum? Maybe he thinks everyone just naturally agrees with his opinion.
Can the XLE fit about 5 people comfortable I was wondering how big this car was? I'm going soon to look at it but I was just wondering. Thanks and God Bless.
Does anyone know what the top speed for the 07 Camry V6 is? Going to get one in 2 or 3 months, Has anyone top theirs out yet? (Yea I know I'm crazy but thats me)I never had a vehicle I didn't check the top speed on.
I have yet to have 3 people in the backseat since we are a family of 3, but tomorrow I will have a house full of guests for Easter dinner and will ask two adults to sit back there with me and see. I am sure it will be a "rubbing shoulders" situation as there are not many cars today that provide that kind of width necessary to not have people against eachother in the backseat. The leg/knee room however is very good, and in the XLE, the back seats recline about 2 or 3 inches, making them even more comfortable. As far as posts regarding the Avalon, based on the specs, it is only 1.3 inches wider in the back seat for shoulder room.
I was looking at a 07 Toyota Camry LE 4 cylinder automatic this afternoon and I was shocked to find that it had some rust inside the door jam. Does anyone in here know whether or not Toyota is treating the sheetmetal on the new 07 Camry before they apply the paint and clearcoat on it? Are the new Camry's prone to rusting? I used to own a 97 Camry 5 speed 4 cylinder and it was a decent car. The body was clean and it didn't have any rust on it for the 52,000 which I drove it for. What's going on with the rust that I found on the 07 Camry?
Ya know whats weird about that... it can't rust in the normal way you'd think... it's all galvanized steel. In galvanized steel the zinc coating seals over a 'wound' in the surface in order to protect the base metal..steel.
Galvanizing is considered a 'sacrificial coating'. That's why there is a 5 yr / unlimited miles rust-through warranty.
No! 3 normal adults will not be comfortable in the back seat of any car that has 56.9" of rear shoulder room and 53.9" hiproom. Maybe 3 small boned, thin adults?????
Another 3" of rear seat legroom would also make any trip more enjoyable.
59" of shoulder and hip room would be tolerable for a few hours.
Can't speak from personal experience because I've still yet to see an SE despite several trips to the dealership, but for those who live in areas where the VSC/TCS is istalled in all SE's, you might try down here in the south. According to buytoyota.com, I've seen several (on line) listed w/o the traction control, presumably because snow/ice not an issue here. However, if you do come down here, be prepared to pay the mandatory $699 SET (South East Toyota) add-on for rustproofing, free 1st oil change, yada yada. It's an "option" (chuckle chuckle) you won't be able to avoid. If you want to see for yourself, go to buytoyota.com and type in, for example, the Jacksonville, Fl zipcode = 32201, & you'll probably find an SE w/o that option.
lol I'm sure it was a joke toyota, I got a good laugh out of it buddy:) Don't worry. But yeah I was hoping 3 people could fit back there, I want a traveling car, but i'll look at the avalon. Also whats some other things nice about the camry XLE let us know.
I’ve had my Camry XLE V6 07 for couple of weeks now and I love it. Like all the other comments, it’s a Lexus quality without the price. In fact, the Camry has a slightly larger shoulder room than the Lexus ES300. It’s 57.8 vs. 56.8 respectively. Driving experience is unparallel. Wind noise on my XLE is well suppressed and almost non-existent at 75mph. Turning circle is awesome for a car that size. I haven’t noticed any torque steer when accelerating. The new V6 engine is very refined and has plenty of power. I am averaging 26.7mpg on 70/30 highway/city driving. The workmanship is outstanding. I’ve owned a Passat and an Acura TL and by far the Camry V6 07 has a luxurious interior that’s on par with more expensive vehicles for thousands less.
appreciate an answer and thanks in advance. does any trim level have a hand operated emergency brake? i have a crippled left leg (thanks to the milwaukee v. a. hospital)which make operation of a foot operated emergency brake a physical impossibility. in short its a deal breaker. no'07 in dealer when i was there and you cant tell from the pics. i mailed a $500 deposit friday 04/14.
I just checked--the LE, SE, and XLE do not have a hand operated emergency brake. I'm 99% sure the CE does not as well. I am only speaking about the automatics, as I have yet to see a manual transmission (I've seen about 100 automatics). Why do you need it so bad, do you use it frequently (I've never used mine once)? Just curious.
Comments
'offering' and actually getting are two different things - GST effectively controls all Toyotas supplied in that area and can make it difficult for any dealer that is selling the car significantly under market. Avalon orders were taken all over the place at some relatively well discounted prices - somehow the cars never actually showed up as 'ordered'. Invoice is, of course, a highly imaginery number especially with those distributor 'port' pkgs. but if the Camry is generally selling at something close to sticker (as you would think it would for awhile) than you better believe that the dealers know precisely what they can get for it. Unless, of course, it's a lease in which case 'sell' prices mean much much less.
Toyota Camry: Prices Paid & Buying Experience
and find message:
#2687 & #2689
I think they are very helpful.
Tidewater
And a quick search on the internet will find a special sequence of steps if done within 30sec of starting the car that will disable VSC on the Lexus. Don't know if it works on the Camry or not.
Seems like we're in the same boat - and state. Which end of the state are you in? I'm in South Jersey and I haven't seen an SE yet! Not sure the TL is worth the price difference any more. Although now I'm reading reports about the 17" wheels on the SE contributing to higher road noise levels than what is experienced on the LE and XLE models. Looks like I'll have to drive both.
Curiously - did the TL seats feel as comfortable as the SE? I've only sat in a TL, and the seat felt borderline HARD. My current TL ('01) is very comfortable.
I've been doing some internet shopping, and right now the price difference between the TL (non Nav.) and an SE (non Nav.) is 4K. Like I said, I don't think the TL is worth the difference. But, driving them will tell the story. Your car looks beautiful in the pics you've posted. Congrats.
Can't say much about the price because I traded in a car and they show the numbers how they want, but I still am financing exactly what I wanted. I told the dealer what I wanted (no extra add-ons for pinstripes, protection, etc) and he did a search and found one in Arkansas(I'm in OKC) with only floor mats added and I got it 3 days later.
The dealer had about 6 Camry's on Sat. and that is where all the showing and test driving was. They will sell like crazy and said they are finally seeing younger people looking at Camrys. I also drove the SE V6, and like the luxury look better on the exterior and interior of the XLE, but still liked the SE. I have an 05 Odyssey and love Honda quality and driving characteristics, but the new Accord design is just not that attractive to me.
Hope this helps anyone considering the car.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. VSC is much more likely to save your [non-permissible content removed] than it is to spoil your driving fun. Some of the car mags may say it's intrusive on sporty driving but some also say it's the biggest safety advance in the last 50 years.
They know the little kid lurking inside you ready to test the limits of that tiny VSC switch.
Thats why they did not put it.
I think the thing that annoys me most is - They call this thing an "option", and then they FORCE you to take it, and pay for it. Then to add insult to the injury, you can't turn it off if you want to.
Like I said, we have a Honda and an Acura in the garage right now. They both have "TCS" and you can turn it off, on Both vehicles if you want to. It's nice to have a choice in the matter.
:P
It's not VSC that you want to cancel it's Traction Control. VSC only kicks in when the yaw sensors determine that you are not going in the direction you intended. It minimizes the extremes of understeer or oversteer and usually will kick in at higher speeds. If you are standing still on icy pavement VSC does nothing.
What the professional testers dont like is that at highspeeds where they know how to keep a car under control VSC throttles them down and applies the brakes. This has little to do with the Traction Control system although both are linked through the ABS.
The vast majority of amateur drivers do not know how to avoid problems and likely will do just the opposite of what they should.
That being said, unless people are taking their Camrys on a race track or to an autocross competition, I'm not sure what benefit anyone would get from turning TCS/VSC off.
~alpha
Does this kind of nonsense really belong in this forum?
Maybe he thinks everyone just naturally agrees with his opinion.
Are the new Camry's prone to rusting? I used to own a 97 Camry 5 speed 4 cylinder and it was a decent car. The body was clean and it didn't have any rust on it for the 52,000 which I drove it for.
What's going on with the rust that I found on the 07 Camry?
Galvanizing is considered a 'sacrificial coating'. That's why there is a 5 yr / unlimited miles rust-through warranty.
Another 3" of rear seat legroom would also make any trip more enjoyable.
59" of shoulder and hip room would be tolerable for a few hours.
Change that to, "indefinitely", if the alternative is walking during a sustained downpour or in 120+ degree desert heat...
"Everything's relative." -A. Einstein
That's what's relative and relevant!!!!!!!!!
According to buytoyota.com, I've seen several (on line) listed w/o the traction control, presumably because snow/ice not an issue here. However, if you do come down here, be prepared to pay the mandatory $699 SET (South East Toyota) add-on for rustproofing, free 1st oil change, yada yada. It's an "option" (chuckle chuckle) you won't be able to avoid. If you want to see for yourself, go to buytoyota.com and type in, for example, the Jacksonville, Fl zipcode = 32201, & you'll probably find an SE w/o that option.
Driving experience is unparallel. Wind noise on my XLE is well suppressed and almost non-existent at 75mph. Turning circle is awesome for a car that size. I haven’t noticed any torque steer when accelerating. The new V6 engine is very refined and has plenty of power. I am averaging 26.7mpg on 70/30 highway/city driving.
The workmanship is outstanding. I’ve owned a Passat and an Acura TL and by far the Camry V6 07 has a luxurious interior that’s on par with more expensive vehicles for thousands less.
First 2 tanks = 26.49 avg. mpg actual (27.2 avg trip computer)
50-60% city.
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128303&page=5
It starts from post #68 where a poster says he works at a Toyota dealership and there may be an issue with the V6's transmission.
Has anyone noticed anything peculiar at all with the V6 transmission and how it feels? Any hard shifting or hesitation, etc.? Thanks.
no'07 in dealer when i was there and you cant tell from the pics.
i mailed a $500 deposit friday 04/14.